


The Kindness of Strangers (Part II)

by AnnieVH



Series: Rumple and the Spinsters [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 02:11:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2331362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieVH/pseuds/AnnieVH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumpel comes back from Neverland and knocks on their door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Kindness of Strangers (Part II)

There was absolutely no reason for them to take him back. Rumpelstiltskin knew that when he knocked on their door. He had left on his own will, he had chosen to be with his father.

And he had stolen the been.

They had said he could have it, some day, when he was older.

But he had taken it as soon as they had turned their backs.

Because he was a bad child.

Maybe that was why Papa didn’t want him anymore.

If he apologized, perhaps he’d get a second chance. Perhaps he could have a bed for a day or two before they found him an orphanage. People did that sometimes, if they were kind and could spare an extra plate for a few meals.

But then they opened the door and whatever apology he was trying to come up with never happened. He was crying. And they were holding him. And bringing him inside. And giving him a bed.

When he opened his eyes, hours later, Rumpel could see them in the corner of the room. Aunt Flora was pacing in small steps, whispering, “Coward, what did I tell you?”

“Calm down,” said Aunt Fauna, softly, throwing Rumpel a quick glance. From where she was sitting, he seemed to still be asleep. “You’re going to wake him up.”

“Stole the bean and left him,” Aunt Flora said in an angry whisper, as if she couldn’t hear the other woman, or did not care. “I told you that man was no good. I  _told you_.”

To make her stop pacing, Aunt Fauna reached for Aunt Flora’s hand. “My dear, you need to calm down.”

“But I  _told_  you.”

“Yes. You have good instinct.”

Though he had only spent two weeks in that house, the sound of their voices felt almost strange to his ears in that pace. They never talked like that. They’d usually speak fast and right after one another. No quite interrupting. More like complementing each other’s thoughts.

And Aunt Flora had never sounded so flustered before. If anything, she was the gentlest of the two, leaving Aunt Fauna to complain about the prices and the horrible people they sometimes had to deal with in the village – though he could feel an even bigger disapproval emanating from her icy silence and tight expression.

“You have good instinct,” she repeated. “You were right.” From under the covers, he watched Aunt Fauna’s thumb stroke her friend’s hand. “We really are his best chance.”

They got quiet for a moment.

Then Aunt Flora said, “This proves I’m always right.”

And Aunt Fauna laughed. “Don’t push it.”

They dissolved into giggles and mutual shushes as to “not wake up the boy”.

And Rumple could almost laugh with them.

Maybe they wouldn’t kick him out just yet.


End file.
